The present invention relates to a digital vehicle monitoring system.
In vehicle monitoring systems and particularly, systems for use in commercial vehicles such as large trucks, the typical dashboard displays utilize a plurality of analog gauges or indicator lights which, due to the large number, either cannot feasibly be continuously monitored by the operator during vehicle operation or provide an indication only after a failure has occurred and possible engine or vehicle damage has taken place. The use of a plurality of digital displays, one for each condition to be monitored, would not significantly improve such systems.
A few attempts have been made to provide a digital display and/or some form of fault display should one of the vehicle's parameters fall within a danger level for continued operation of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,617 issued to Bernard S. Blake, Jr. Oct. 19, 1971, U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,964 issued to Melvin A. Lace, Mar. 27, 1973, U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,383 issued to Douglas I. Fales, May 23, 1972, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,827 issued to Paul S. Houseman Jan. 16, 1973 represent sytems for providing analog or digital displays in this general field. None of these systems, however, provide a display system which can be employed in the commercial trucking industry to fully satisfy the requirements of vehicle safety or operator convenience.
Thus, there exists a need for a solid-state and preferably digital vehicle monitoring and control system which permits the operator to continuously monitor certain required conditions such as air pressure (for brake systems) and vehicle speed as well as providing a select display for any number of remaining conditions.
Also, there exists a need for a display system which provides an operator-selected display of particular interest to the operator but in the event a nonselected parameter reaches a warning or danger level, the marginal parameter is displayed to override the operator-selected display.